Speak Out 12/7/08

CEOs versus raiders

CARL ICAHN says shareholders need to have more rights in the running of companies. That might sound good, but remember this is the same man who as the major shareholder of TWA stole the employees' pensions. In these hard economic times, if we have to choose between the lesser of two evils, I will choose the CEOs over the corporate raiders any day of the week.

Political pensions

AUTO WORKERS now drawing pensions worked for 30 years or more under contracts negotiated in good faith with their employer. They did the job their contract required them to do and now receive the compensation promised by the auto companies. But what about politicians mooching off the public? Local, state and federal politicians should give up their pensions before auto workers, since the auto workers did their jobs but the politicians played the system to line their pockets, pandered for votes and sold American voters down the river.

Auto industry

THE OPPOSITION of the American people to bailing out the auto industry is odious. The people who will be affected the most by a bailout refusal are the workers who had nothing to do with deciding what kinds of cars to build, how to build them, how fuel efficient they should be and so forth. The costly auto industry health care plans workers receive should have long ago been the responsibility of the U.S. government, the only industrialized country in the world to abdicate its responsibility in this area. As has been said many times, we seem anxious to bail out those who take showers before work (Wall Street fat cats) but unwilling to assist those who shower after work (the people who are the most productive in the world: the American worker).

Position evolution

IN WHAT can only be described as a column that is beyond bizarre, Michael Jensen recently said he recently had the crud. After pointing out his various attempts to get relief, he gave us his usual dose of wisdom by warning us always to wash our hands. This is a perfect example of Jensen's genius in subtly getting across his real point. I have concluded that Jensen has washed his hands of our current health-care system and is now an advocate of a single-payer (the government) universal health care. If my analysis is accurate, I can only say that the evolution in Jensen's position on this issue is illustrative of real growth as a journalist as well of the fact that he is getting old.

Bad comparison

I AM getting pretty tired of people comparing Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a visionary with clear ideals and vision for America. Obama changes his ideas based on what is popular. Lincoln for the most part was not well liked during his time because he made tough decisions that weren't popular with the public. He understood that being president of the United States was not about being popular or well liked. It was about making tough decisions. That is why he is the legend he is today.

Let them bleed

AUTOMAKERS DO not need a bailout. Remember last summer when people all around the country were suffering because gas prices were so high? Automakers did nothing to help improve gas mileage, nor did they even give any suggestions. They need to continue bleeding a few billion dollars a month until they are out of money. There are enough cars out there. People don't need to buy new cars every time their car breaks.